NIOSH: Work-Family Balance Aids Safety

An article exploring the link between employer support for work- family balance and the reduction of safety health risks has been published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Total Worker Health (TWH) Program. The article in particular recognizes employees’ need for quality and flexible daycare, especially during summer months.

According to TWH, recent surveys have found that decreased work-family stress is related to reduced injury risk, and increased safety compliance and safety participation among workers. The article offers several tips employers can use to help their teams achieve better work-family balance, including training managers and supervisors, increased employee control of work hours, and support of flexible schedules:

• Train managers and supervisors to be more supportive of work and family. Recent evidence shows that employee support from managers and supervisors for family and work balance leads workers to report better health, improved job satisfaction and lower intentions to leave the company.
• Give workers more control over their work hours. Increased control over when, where, and how work gets done is related to improved health behaviors.
• Create a resource guide for employees and their families. For example, work with your human resources department to pull together a list of day camps for children of various ages.
• Be a role model. Take some time off to be with your own family to show your employees you know this should be a priority for them as well, especially if stress is overwhelming them.
• Encourage and support flexible schedules. Help employees to come up with creative solutions for childcare coverage during the summer, such as working a compressed work week or taking 1-2 days off per week over the summer instead of one large vacation allotment.

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